Omid Scobie says he queue-jumped Queen's lying-in-state after This Morning drama
Omid Scobie has confessed that he was part of a "small group of journalists" who bypassed the queue to view the late Queen's coffin, after the controversy surrounding This Morning hosts Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby being accused of skipping the line last year.
After Queen Elizabeth II passed away, her coffin was displayed in Westminster Hall, with the public queuing for hours to pay their respects. Drama unfolded when Phil and Holly were wrongly accused of pushing ahead of the long queue to enter the hall. The duo, who have since left the show, addressed the issue on-air. Holly told viewers: "Like hundreds of accredited broadcasters and journalists, we were given official permission to access the hall."
At the time, she added: "The rules were that we would be quickly escorted around the edges to a platform at the back. In contrast, those paying respects walked along a carpeted area beside the coffin and were given time to pause. No broadcaster or journalist there took anyone's place in the queue and no one filed past the Queen."
Holly and Phil were famously accused of queue jumping (ITV)
Omid admitted joining the pair at Westminster Hall (REX/Shutterstock)"We, of course, respected those rules, however, we realise that it may have looked like something else and therefore totally understand the reaction. Please know that we would never jump a queue."
In his new book, Endgame, Omid recalls: "The full reality of Queen Elizabeth II's death hit me ten days later when I joined a small group of journalists to observe the scene of the former monarch lying in state at Westminster Hall." He also mentions how "Members of the public had queued for up to ten miles and over twenty-four hours to pay their respects."
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"For those of us in the press working eighteen-hour shifts, reporting to millions of others around the world, British Parliament's 'Operation Marquee' team had arranged pre-booked one-hour time slots in Westminster so we could capture this moment in history," he added.
Omid's book not only discusses the Queen's death and King Charles III's coronation but also contains several Royal bombshells. He takes aim at the Prince and Princess of Wales. Omid, who previously wrote Finding Freedom about Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Royal Family exit, claimed that Kate Middleton "shudders and giggles" whenever she hears Meghan's name.
His new book also details the falling out between Harry and his older brother Prince William. Omid claims that once Meghan came onto the scene, "William shifted away from acting like a brother and became more like someone only focused [on the Crown]."
The book doesn't just criticise William and Kate, it also claims that the Princess Royal was a strong supporter of the decision to evict Harry and Meghan from their Frogmore Cottage home on the Windsor Estate.
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can report any errors to [email protected]
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